Barrel positioner for automatic pistol



June 9, 1959 e. w. WHITNEY 2,889,753

BARREL POSITIONER FOR AUTOMATIC PISTOL Filed May 9, 1958 25 /3 I I 5 4 I 22 /7 m INVENTOR GZVV: Whii'ney ATTORNEY 2,889,753 BARREL POSITIONER FOR AUTOMATIC PISTOL George W. Whitney, Tulsa, Okla. Application May 9, 1958, Serial No. 734,284 Claims. (Cl. 89-160) This invention relates to an attachment for automatic pistols of the Colt-type and which will eifectively function to return the barrel to the same position relative to the slide each time that the barrel and slide are locked together during their forward'movement after rearward recoil movement, to thereby materially increase the firing accuracy of the piece.

More particularly, it is an aim of the present invention to provide a barrel positioner adapted to be incorporated in and form a part of a recoil spring guide and which will replace and occupy substantially the same position as a conventional recoil spring guide and will perform the function of the spring guide in addition to the barrel positioning function.

A further object of the invention is to provide a barrel positioner of extremely simple construction which will require no modification of the automatic pistol except the removal of the conventional spring guide and which will insure that the barrel will be in the same position relative to the slide each time that the weapon is fired.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawing, illustrating a presently preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal, substantially vertical central sectional view of a portion of a Colt-type automatic pistol, showing the barrel positioner in an applied position;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the barrel positioner, removed from the pistol;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal horizontal sectional view thereof, and

Figure 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, the barrel positioner in its entirety is designated generally 6 and includes an elongated tubular body 7 having an external enlargement 8 forming a head which is disposed adjacent to but spaced slightly from the rear end 9 of the body 7. The enlargement or head 8, as seen in Figure 4, is disposed entirely around the tubular body 7 and has a recessed top portion 10. The upper part of the rear end 9 of the body 7 is provided with a rearwardly opening notch or recess 11.

A lever 12 is loosely disposed in the tubular body '1'. A pivot pin 13 extends through and is anchored in the body 7, near the forward end thereof and extends transversely through and is loosely disposed in a transverse bore 14, which is formed in the forward end of the lever 12. The lever 12 extends rearwardly from the pivot pin 13 to adjacent the open rear end 2 of the tubular body and has an upwardly extending rear end portion 15 which extends upwardly through and is loosely disposed in the notch 11 and which terminates above the level of the recessed top portion of the head 8. Said upturned lever end is preferably disposed at an nited States Patent intgined slightly forward from its lower end to its upper en The lever 12, rearwardly of but adjacent the pivot 5 pin 13, is provided with an opening 16 in which is anchored an end portion 17 of a spring 18. The remainder of the spring 18 is disposed in the body 7, beneath the lever 12 and extends toward the rear end of said body and has a free end portion 19 hearing against a bottom portion of the internal bore wall of the body 7 for urging the lever 12 to swing upwardly about its pivot 13.=

The barrel positioner 6 is shown in an applied position in Figure 1 within the frame 20' of a Colt auto-.

matic pistol and beneath a portion of the barrel 21. The rear end portion of the spiral compression spring 22, constituting the main reaction or recoil spring of the pistol, is disposed around the tubular body 7 and bears against the head 8. The rear side of the bottom portionof the head 8 bears against a forwardly facing shoulderv 23 of the frame 20 to retain the body 7 against rearward displacement, within the frame 2%, beyond its position of Figure 1. 7 and its head 8 replace and function in the same manner as a conventional spring guide and stop for the spring 22.

The upper end of the upwardly extending free end portion or finger 15 of the lever 12 bears against a bottom surface 24 of the barrel 21 for yieldably urging the rear end of the barrel upwardly. The finger 15 is disposed forwardly of and adjacent the conventional link 25, the upper end of which is pivotally connected by a pin 26 to the barrel 21, and the lower end of which is pivotally connected by a pin 27 to the frame 20. The forward portion 28 of the slide has downwardly opening grooves 29 to receive the upwardly extending ribs 30 of the barrel 21 for locking the barrel to the slide.

The operation of the pistol is conventional and a description thereof is considered unnecessary. However, it might be stated that as the slide is moving forwardly after recoil and is being propelled by the compressed spring 22, during the final forward travel the rear slide portion 31 engages the rear end of the barrel 21 to cause the barrel to move forwardly with the slide, and during which movement the link 25 swings counterclockwise about the pin 27 back to its position of Figure 1 for elevating the rear end of the barrel to cause the ribs 30 to engage in the grooves 29 for locking the barrel to the slide. However, wear on the pins 26 and 27 and the bores or openings engaged thereby produces play so that the barrel 21 is not always in the same position relative to the slide, in the firing position of the parts, as seen in Figure 1. Consequently, the accuracy of the piece is thus adversely affected. However, with the barrel positioner 6 the finger 15 is urged upwardly by the spring 18 so as to urge the rear end of the barrel 21 upwardly to cause the ribs 30 to fully seat in the grooves 29, so that the barrel 21 will always be disposed in exactly the same position relative to the slide, in the firing position of the piece, to insure maximum accuracy.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may be resorted to, without departing from the function or scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A barrel positioner for a Colt automatic pistol comprising an elongated tubular body member adapted to be mounted in a pistol frame beneath a rear portion of the pistol barrel and engaged by the rear end of a spiral recoil spring to form a spring guide and stop, said tubular body member having an external enlargement forming a head against which a rear convolution of the atented drama 9, 1959 Thus, the tubular body member Q spiral recoil spring is adapted to bear, a finger member having a rear part extending upwardly from a rear portion of said tubular body member and including an upper end adapted to bear against the underside of the rear portion of the barrel, said head being disposed between said rear part of the finger member and the spiral spring, said finger member having a forward part loosely disposed within the tubular body member, and spring means contained in and bearing against the tubular body member and engaging said forward part of the finger member for urging the rear part of the finger member upwardly independently of the tubular body member to cause said rear part to engage and yieldably retain the barrel in a fully raised position relative to the slide when the barrel and slide are in forwardmost positions.

2. A barrel positioner as in claim 1, and means pivotally connecting a forward end of said forward part of the finger member to the tubular body member for up and down swinging movement of said forward part within the tubular body member.

'3. A barrel positioner as in claim 2, .said tubular body member having an upper rear part provided with a recess disposed behind said head in which said rear part of the finger member is slidably and swingably disposed, said recess forming a guide for the finger member.

4. A barrel positioner for a Colt automatic pistol comprising an elongated tubular body member adapted to be mounted in a pistol frame beneath a rear portion of the pistol barrel and engaged by the rear end of a spiral recoil spring to form a spring guide and stop, a finger member extending upwardly from a rear portion of said tubular body member and having an upper end adapted to bear against the underside of the rear portion of the barrel, spring means disposed within and engaging said tubular body member and acting upon said finger member for urging the finger member upwardly to yieldably retain the barrel in a fully raised position relative to the slide when the barrel and slide are in forwardmost positions, said finger member constituting an upturned rear end of a lever, said lever having a portion extending forwardly from the lower end or" the finger member and loosely disposed in said body member, and means pivotally connecting a forward end of said lever portion to the body member for up and down swinging movement of said lever portion within the tubular body member, said spring means having one end anchored to said lever portion and an opposite end bearing on a portion of the bore wall of the tubular body member, beneath and adjacent said finger member.

5. A barrel positioner as in claim 4, said lever pivot being located adjacent the forward end of the tubular body member, and said first mentioned end of the spring means being connected to said lever portion inwardly of but adjacent the lever pivot.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

